Improvement in looms for weaving bags



UNITED STATES PATENT CTEEIGE6 JOHN LAIRD, JR., AND VILLAM RUTHERFORD, OF FORFAR, NORTH BRITAIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOOIYIS FOR WEAVING BAGS, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,654, dated June 30, 1874; application filed April 3, 1874.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN LAIRD, the younger, of the iirm of William Laird &.Oo., manufacturers, and WILLIAM RUTHEREORD, manager to the said rm, both of the town and county of Forfar, North Britain, have invented Improvements in the Manufacture of Bags, Sacks, and tubular` or single fabrics, and in the mechanism employed therefor, of which the following is a specification: y

The object of our invention is to weave bags, sacks, and tubular or single fabrics by a loom provided with a jacquard attachment based upon the Dobbie machine, the barrel or card-cylinder of which, in carrying out our invention, is perforated to correspond to the requirements of the articles to the weaving of which this invention relates; or a set of pegged or perforated cards may be applied to the barrel, the pegs or perforations being in such position as to affect the necessary shedding operations of the leaves of the heddles. t

Under this invention one warp-yarn beam and lone shuttle, and the ordinary built heddles with shafts, are employed, thus dispensing with treadles, wipers, or jacquard harness. Duplex needles, and a double set of pulleys, are employed. The lifting needlebars of the Dobbie machine are also made double, so as to operate alternately (or in any other required order of succession) each opposite needle, two needles being connected with each leaf of the heddles, which arrangement, as hereinafter described, insures a constant and positive tension of each leaf of the heddles.

In the process or operation of weaving bags or tubular clth according to this invention, though only one warp is used, two or more independent sheds are formed, one above the other, thus making the cloth doubleor more than double, as required, and uniting it at one or both selvages, as may be desired lVhen united at one selvage only, this forms the bottom of the bag, and 'the sides of the bag are united by interweaving the whole of the warp-yarns, at intervals corresponding to the width of the bags, into strong single cloth, the open selvages thus constituting the mouth of the bags, Vhen the selvages are united so as to form or unite the sideedges of the bags, the whole of the warp-yarns are interwoven,

at suitable intervals apart corresponding to the length of the bag, into strong single cloth, sufficient to form a bottom to each bag.

Two or more bags may be woven in the width of the loom. The improved Dobbie may also be used for weaving single cloth.

On the sheets of drawings hereunto appendled, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a front elevation of a portion of a loom, showing the improved Dobbie machine attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a side elevation at right angles to Fig. 1, Sheet 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of Fig. 3 on the line a b. Fig. 5 is a diagram, and Fig. 6 a perspective view, of the. upper portion of the loom.

With reference to these drawings, the side framing of the Dobbie machine is marked A, and the leaves of the heddle's B C D E F G H I, respectively. The beam J carries the warp K, and the portion marked L is the woven fabric, which, as it passes from the loom, is wound upon the cloth-beam M imthe ordinary manner.

The loom is operated by the driving-shaft N, driven by means of the pulleys xed onthe extremities thereof in the ordinary manner. Two cranks are formed upon the shaft'N, which communicate a reciprocatory movement to the reed O, which is carried in the lay, and operated in the ordinary manner by means of the connecting-rod P, Fig. 3. On one extremity of the shaft N is keyed a slotted crank or lever, Q, communicating motion through the adjustable connecting-rod R to the lever S, which is free to move in a vertical plane uponja pin forming the extremity of the stay T. The inner extremity of the lever S .is counected, by an upright link, U, to the double needle-lifting bar V, which is operatedcorrespondingly with the motion of the connectingrod R.

The projecting bracket W is fixed 4to the framing A, and supports one extremity of the needle-bar V. Thelower lifting-bar 1i is operated from the lever S by a link, X, and duplexlever Z, by the action of which the said bar p is alternately raised and depressed. The bracket x supports the outer extremity of the lifting-bar p. (See Figs. l, 3, and 6.) The Dobbie barrel e is actuated from the lever S by the link and lever b c, which communicate a vibrating motion to the horizontal shaft d, upon which are xed the standards e, supporting the barrel a. The pawl j actuates the barrel a by catching and holding one of the teeth or projections, g, formed at the extremity of the barrel a, the standards of which, in retiring from the horizontal needles of the Dobbie machine, pull against the pawl f, which, retaining its hold upon the teeth g, causes the barrel to revolve a quarter of a revolution, thus presenting` a different set of perforations or pegs to the needles at each stroke, after the ordinary manner.

IVhen desired, this mechanism is thrown out of action by pulling down the outer extremity of the double lever h, carried on the,- pin i, which has the eifect of lifting the pawl f clear of the teeth g. A frame-work, j, is fastened to the cheeks A, within which the ordinary rollers are arranged to carry an endless chain of cards, vwhichniay be used in conjunction with the card-barrel a, if desired-that is to say, a chain of cards perforated or pegged to `produce the necessary shedding of the warp for weaving double and single cloth at the required intervals for weaving bags or similar fabrics. Around the pulleys A B G DE are conducted the stenting-lines -in communication with the vertical duplex needles b c d e f g l/ t. By these means the leaves of the heddles are stretched between the vertical duplex needles, so that there is always la positive pull on both sides of the leaves, by which they are kept in a continual state of equable tension while being operated by the vertical duplex needles b c d e f g h i. rIhe construction of the horizontal needles 0 is more particularly shown at Fig. 4, Sheet 2. They are supported, as shown, in two perforated bars, lm, and have two eyelet-holes formed on each of them, through which pass the duplex vertical needles b c d ef g h i. To prevent their turning iu their seats they are bent double at one extremity, so as to lill oblong or at perforations in the supporting-bar m,

' the interval between the bar m and thenearer eyelet being filled by spiral springs acting in a contrary direction to the push of the cardbarrel, and by these opposing forces the hooks of the vertical needles b c d e f g h i are thrown upon or taken o the lifting-bar V.

The supporting-bar Vis movable in a vertical plane, so as to allow of the shifting ofthe horizontal needles opposite to any of the rows of pegs or vperforations in or on the cards or barrel, as the fabric being woven may require.

The mode of operation is as follows: The threads of the warp are led through their corresponding mails in the leaves of the heddles, and thence through the reed, as in ordinary weaving operations.4 In front of the reed the shuttle is operated in the ordinary manner on the shuttle-race, by any suitable picking-mechanism, not shown in the drawings, and forming no part ofthe invention.

To set forth the mode of weaving bags of plain cloth (having the selvages united at one side to form the bottom of the bag, and open at the other to form the mouth of the bag) with the Dobbie machine constituting this invention, let it be supposed that, as shown in the drawings, but more particularly at Fig. 3Sheet 2, the leavesBFbe depressed, and the leaves (l D E G H I elevated; then, under these conditions, that portion of the warp operated by the leaves B F forms the lower part of the shed, and that portion operated'by the leaves C D E G H I forms the upper part of the shed. The shuttle carrying the weft having been shot while the warp is in this position, the leaves B F (actuated by the duplex needle-barV) are now raised, while the leaf' H sinks to the positionformerly occupied by the leaves .B F. The shuttle having been shot throu-gh this shed of the warp, the leaves B G D F G are sunk, the leaves E I remaining elevated. The larger portion of the warp being now beneath, the shot of weft now made binds or unites the selvages of the duplex web onthat side of the web from which the shuttle is thrown. The leaves E I are now lowered, and the leaves C G raised, and the weft having been shot through this shed of the warp completes one series of the succession of weaving.operations, which are repeated any required number of times, according to the dimensions of the bag.- The bound or united selvages in, this case form the bottom of the bag.

To unite the double cloth at intervals so as to form the sides or edges of the bag the whole warp is woven into a solid web, or as strong single cloth, at distances apart corresponding to the required width of the bag. This may be effected by altering the positions of the perforations or pegs on the card or card-barrel, or it may be eifected by altering the position of the horizontal needles of the Dobbie machine, by raising or lowering the bar Z, which supports their extremities, so that the horizontal needles will be shifted opposite another set of perforation or pegs in the card or cardbarrel, by which the leaves of the heddles may be operated so as to produce strong single cloth.

From the example now given of weaving vages to form the sides or edges of the bag,

and forming the bottom of the bag by solid interweaving of the double portions at intervals corresponding to the length of the bag.

It Will also be obvious to the practical weaver that any number of bags may be woven in the width of the warp by perforatin g or pegging the barrel or cards or chain of cards so as to produce the required sheds for lines of solid interweaving of the two webs of cloth produced. These lines of solid interweaving form the sides or edges of the bag, the bottom being formed by interweavin g the two webs crosswise, as hereinbefore mentioned.

In weaving any twilled fabric according to this invention, the Dobbie machine is provided with the requisite number of needles for operating the number of leaves of the heddles corresponding to the requirements of the twill.

It is desirable, in weaving operations, that the weaver may inspect the warp, in order to ascertain that it is working' entire-that is to say, th at none of the warp-threads are broken. But when weaving double cloth according to this invention it is difficult to inspect at all times the condition of the lower portion of the warp. To meet this difficulty, it is preferred to alternate the position of the two halves of the warp-that is to say, that half of the warp which produced the lower web in one weavin g operation is, after the solid crossing or interweaving is effected, brought uppermost so as to constitute the upper portion of the web at the next weaving operation, thus enabling the weaver to inspect the state of each half of the warp at each alternate completion of cloth corresponding to the length or width of the bags being woven. This object is effected by forming the Dobbie barrel or card with three rows of pegs or perforations in each face of the barrel, or in each of the cards, of which an example is shown in the diagram, Fig. 5, Sheet 2, which represents the four sides of the barrel, or the faces of four of the cards placed on the barrel, opened out so as to be seen at one view.

In the diagram, Fig. 5, Sheet2, the rows of holes in each card or face of the barrel are respectively numbered l, 2, and 3. In commencing to weave bags according to this invention the horizontal needles ofthe Dobbie machine are brought in line with the rows of holes or pegs marked 1, and with the needles in this position the length of double cloth necessary to form a bag is woven. rllhe horizontal needles are then brought in line with the pegs or holes marked 2, which sheds the warp so as to produce strong single cloth for forming the bottoms, sides, or edges of bags. When a sufficient width of strong single cloth has thus been woven, the horizontal needles are brought in line with the pegs or holes f marked 3,which shed the warp so as again to weave the double cloth or bag, but with that portion of warp-yarns `which constituted the lower half of the bag last woven. now uppermost.

rlhe horizontal needles of the Dobbie machine are raised or lowered to their required positions by means ofthe bar l, operated in the manner hereinbefore described.

Besides being` applicable for weaving bags or tubular fabrics, as hereinbefore described, it is obvious to the practical weaver that the improved Dobbie machine may also be used for the weaving of sin gie-cloth fabrics, either plain or igured.

It is to be understood that the weaving of seamless bags, either of plain or twilled cloth, generally forms no part of this invention; but the invention essentially consists in the several improvements on the Dobbie machine by which the weaving ofA bags or similar articles, or fabrics, or single cloth is or may be aocomplished.

XVe claim as our invention- A loom for weaving bags, &c., inwhich each leaf of heddles is operated and maintained at a constant tension, by two reciprocating needles, connected one to the top and the other to the bottom of the said leaf by suitable cords, the said needles being reciprocated by duplex lifting and lowering bars V and p, and, being combined with a single horizontal needie, o, rendered vertically adjustable by and with a bar, l, in order that it may be .brought opposite different rows of perforations or pegs on. the cards of jacquard apparatus, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

y In testimony whereof we have .signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 4

JOHN LAIRD, J R. [L. s]

YVILLIAM RUTHERFORD. [1.. s] Witnesses:

EDWARD FISHER BAMBER,

JOHN CLARK. 

